NEON
TCD
Investigate the functional brain changes in neonatal encephalopathy (NE) infants and the associated behavioral and cognitive consequences
NEON: Investigate the functional brain changes in neonatal encephalopathy (NE) infants and the associated behavioral and cognitive consequences
Primary PI: Prof Arun Bokde (TCD)
- Prof Arun Bokde (TCD)
- Supervisory team: Prof Eleanor Molloy (TCD), Prof Elizabeth Nixon (TCD), Prof Declan Devane (NUIG)
Description
The goal of the NEON project is to investigate the functional brain changes in neonatal encephalopathy (NE) infants and the associated behavioral and cognitive consequences. The project will use brain imaging data (structural MRI, functional MRI, diffusion imaging) to quantify the functional integrity of the neural networks and examine potential associations with inflammatory markers and clinical phenotypes. The student will be involved in data acquisition, analysis and writing reports on research results as well as developing a high level of expertise on brain injuries to neonates, neonatal neuroimaging, neuroimaging analysis and complex statistical techniques.
NEPTuNE Scholar: Megan Dibble
Megan Dibble
Originally from Wales, I have now been living in Dublin for three years, and am currently a PhD student at the Institute of Neuroscience, Trinty College Dublin. After completing a BSc in Psychology from the University of Birmingham, I went on to obtain an MPhil in Psychoanalytic Studies from Trinity College Dublin. My Masters thesis, titled “Introjection, Intrusion and Inner Retrear; an Object-Relations Approach to Anorexia Nervosa”, explores the early life trauma and unconscious thought processes behind disordered eating behaviour. Wanting to expand on my work on infant trauma, the NEPTuNE project presented itself as an exciting opportunity to examine the development of the brain in the first year of life, and what changes to the brain and behaviour may arise following perinatal trauma; specifically, in this case, to brain injury in neonatal encephalopathy (NE). My goal for this project is to use diffusion MR imaging techniques to contribute to the current understanding of NE and to aid diagnoses and early interventions, in particular for those infants with mild-moderate encephalopathy, whose neuropsychological symptoms may not be outwardly apparent during the first year of life.